Admissions 2019-20

Admission of children to Holy Cross Catholic Primary School, South Ockendon will be considered in accordance with the following criteria:

The Governors of Holy Cross Primary School will admit 30 children into the Reception class each academic year, this number having been agreed with Thurrock Unitary Authority. There will be one admission date – September2019 (children born between 1st September 2014 and 31st August 2015.) Applications for admission will be considered from parents who wish for a Catholic Education for their children. Preference will be given to applicants according to the following criteria, in the following order:

Oversubscription Criteria

Baptised Catholic ‘Looked After children’ and ‘previously Looked After

weekly Mass. The Governing Body will expect this practice to be verified in the standard format laid down by the diocese.

Baptised Catholic children.

Other ‘Looked After children’ and ‘previously Looked After Children’.

Baptised children of practising (non-Catholic) Christian parents, who desire a Catholic education for their children, and who accept the Catholic ethos and practices of Holy Cross Catholic School and whose Minister can provide a letter to confirm regular practice. According to Canon Law, dedications will not be recognised as being equal to baptism in this criterion.

Non-Baptised Children of other practising Christian parents who desire a Catholic education for their children and who accept the Catholic

ethos and practices of Holy Cross Catholic School; whose application

is supported in writing by a religious leader who can confirm regular practise.

Non-Baptised Children of other world faiths whose parents desire a

Catholic environment for their education and who accept the Catholic

ethos and practices of Holy Cross Catholic School.

8. Other children whose parents desire for them a Catholic environment

for their education and who accept the Catholic ethos and practices of

Holy Cross Catholic School.

A Supplementary Form (available from the school or on-line) must be completed and returned to Holy Cross School. *

These same criteria are applied on deciding entry to our Nursery class. This can accommodate 52 children at any one time in 2 separate classes of 26.

Please note that an offer of a Nursery place DOES NOT GUARANTEE a place in our Reception class

Where the offer of places to all the applicants in any of the categories listed above would lead to oversubscription, the following provisions will be applied.

The attendance of a brother or sister at the school at the time of enrolment will increase the priority of an application within each category.

The governing body may increase the priority of an application within a category where evidence is provided at the time of application of an exceptional social, medical or pastoral need of the child which can be most appropriately met at this school.

Tie Break

Where the offer of places to all the applicants in any of the sub-categories listed above would still lead to oversubscription, the places up to the admission number will be offered to children living closest to the school, measured in a straight line in metres by a digital mapping system. Pupils living nearer to the school being given higher priority.

Application Procedures and Timetable - Applications must be made to Thurrock Council (either on-line or on the Authority’s Common Application Form).

Waiting Lists

In addition to their right of appeal, unsuccessful candidates will be offered the opportunity to be placed on a waiting list. This waiting list will be maintained in order of the oversubscription criteria set out above and not in the order in which applications are added to the list. Names are normally removed from the list after 1 year.

Pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Needs

The admission of pupils with a statement of Special Educational Needs is dealt with by a completely separate procedure. This procedure is integral to the making and maintaining statements by the pupil’s home Local Education Authority. Details of this separate procedure is set out in the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice.

*Notes (these notes form part of the oversubscription criteria)

‘looked after child’ has the same meaning as in section 22 of the Children Act 1989 and means any child in the care of a local authority or provided with accommodation by them

(e.g. children with foster parents.)

‘Catholic’ means a member of a Church in communion with the See of Rome. This includes the Eastern Catholic Churches. This will normally be evidenced by a certificate of baptism in a Catholic Church or a certificate of reception into the full communion of the Catholic Church.

Sibling details: For the purpose of allocating places, the following will be classified as siblings: Full siblings living at the same address. Step siblings living at the same address. Half siblings living at the same address. Long-term foster siblings living at the same address at the date of application and admission.

To demonstrate an exceptional social, medical or pastoral need of the child which can be most appropriately met at this school, the governing body will normally require written evidence from an appropriate professional, such as a social worker, doctor or priest.